Lady Eagles look to get back on track in GLVC opener

2016-11-30T03:26:52Z2016-11-30T03:38:09Z

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -

University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball opens the Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule Thursday at 5:30 p.m. when it travels to Lebanon, Illinois, to take on McKendree University. The Screaming Eagles also visit the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday at 1 p.m. in Springfield, Illinois.

Both games can be heard on WSWI 95.7 FM, while live stats, audio, and GLVC Sports Network Coverage can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.

The Eagles (5-1, 0-0 GLVC) look to bounce back from their first loss of the season after falling to Michigan Tech University, 79-61, Sunday to close out the USI Thanksgiving Classic. USI was 1-1 during the two-day Classic, notching an 81-48 win over Young Harris College Saturday.

Senior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) averaged 16.0 points per game to lead the Eagles during the USI Thanksgiving Classic, while junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms chipped in 11.0 points per contest.

Grooms leads USI on the year with 14.0 points per outing, while Marcum is contributing 12.5 points per appearance.

USI Women’s Basketball Headlines

• Eagles split Thanksgiving Classic. USI Women's Basketball went 1-1 in its bi-annual USI Thanksgiving Classic. The Screaming Eagles won their opener, 81-48, over Young Harris, but suffered their first setback of the season with a 79-61 loss to Michigan Tech. Senior guard Tanner Marcum averaged 16.0 points per game to lead the Eagles, while junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms chipped in 11.0 points per contest.

• Quality minutes. USI emptied its bench for the fourth time this year as all 13 players scored in USI's win over Young Harris. It marked the third straight game in which each USI player scored.

• Margin of victory. Each of USI's first six games this season have been decided by double-digits. The Eagles have won four of their five games by at least 33 points, while their closest win was by 12 points over Wayne State. USI's lone loss was an 18-point setback to Michigan Tech.

• GLVC openers. USI has won four straight GLVC-openers and are 10-7 all-time under Head Coach Rick Stein in conference-openers. The four straight GLVC-opening wins matches the longest such streak under Stein.

• Win No. 600. USI Women's Basketball earned its 600th win with its 83-37 victory over Alabama-Huntsville last week. The Eagles are 601-513 (.540) during their 41-year history.

• Scouting the opposition (McKendree). The Bearcats bring a four-game winning streak into their GLVC-opener against the Eagles after dropping their first game of the season. Emily Pusheck is averaging 9.8 points per game to pace McKendree, which averages 61.8 points per game.

• Scouting the opposition (Illinois Springfield). Illinois Springfield is 3-1 to begin the 2016-17 season and brings a two-game winning streak into its GLVC-opener against Bellarmine Thursday. The Prairie Stars have six players averaging 9.8 points per game or better, led by Syerra Cunningham, who is contributing 13.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per contest.

• 300. Head Coach Rick Stein is six wins shy of 300. Stein, the all-time winningest coach in program history, has been a part of 453 victories during his 26 years at USI, including 159 in eight seasons as an assistant coach for the Eagles.

(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File). FILE - In this May 22, 2018 file photo, actor Morgan Freeman attends the 2018 PEN Literary Gala in New York. Freeman is apologizing to anyone who may have felt “uncomfortable or disrespected” by his behavior....

Actor Morgan Freeman has apologized for making anyone feel uneasy, in the wake of a CNN report in which multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.More >>

Actor Morgan Freeman has apologized for making anyone feel uneasy, in the wake of a CNN report in which multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior.More >>